Family Forever
by ofbrothersandteacakes
Summary: He'd been living with David for almost four years and hadn't seen his parents for even longer than that – but adoption? David wanted to adopt him?


Max's fork clattered as it hit his plate. He was glad he'd already swallowed his last mouthful of food because his mouth dropped open and his stomach began to swim with a nauseous feeling.

"You want to _what_?" he asked, his voice hoarser than he'd expected it to be.

It was obvious David was anxious – he was wringing his hands and his expression resembled an emoji with a slash for a mouth. "I want to adopt you," he repeated.

Yeah, Max had suspected he'd heard him right the first time around.

Disbelief flooded through his body as he stared at David. His mouth shut, then fell open again. Sure, he was fifteen now – he'd been living with David for almost four years and hadn't seen his parents for even longer than that – but adoption? David wanted to adopt _him_?

"I…don't know what to say."

"It's completely up to you," David said quickly, but the smile he offered was weak. "But – um – a yes _would _be nice."

The nauseous feeling continued to swirl around Max's stomach. He got to his feet, bashing the table with his legs on his way up. At some point, his hands had started shaking. A vice was tightening around his chest. "I have to think about it," he choked out, walking back towards the doorway of the kitchen. His back slammed into the frame and he winced, then carried on his way.

David's expression was worried. Shit, that wasn't what Max wanted. "Take all the time you want," David said, obviously faking his cheerful tone.

Swallowing around the lump that had solidified in his throat, Max nodded and turned around so that David wouldn't be able to see the tears budding in his eyes. Why was he _crying_? He picked up his speed, feeling David's eyes on his back, and started to dash up the stairs. His chest was getting tighter by the second and his vision becoming blurred.

He tripped and hit the stairs with a thud. "Fuck," he muttered, and pathetic as it might have been, his tears spilt over and his chest heaved. The will to carry on up the stairs gone, he sat on the steps and did his best to suck in a breath. It felt impossible. He buried his head in his hands.

"Max?" David's voice pierced through Max's uncontrollable waves of emotion.

Shoulders trembling, Max shook his head and pulled a hand free to try and wave David away. Then a sob tore up his throat and one soft sigh from David told him he had no intention of leaving him like this. So, Max dared to look down the stairs and there was David, climbing slowly up them, his expression unreadable. He quickly buried his head in his hands again and let another sob break free.

David's warm shoulder settled against his as he sat down beside him. "I didn't think you'd react like this," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

Unable to find the words he wanted to use, Max shook his head.

"Just cry it out," David coached. "I'm right here, whenever you want to talk."

The minutes ticked by, with Max crying for most of them. Eventually, embarrassment started to kick in and the sobs subsided. Angry at himself, he wiped furiously at the remaining tears and muttered out his own, "Sorry." That was followed swiftly by, "Fuck, I'm so stupid."

"No, you're not," David said, and his voice was infuriatingly gentle.

"I _am_," Max snapped back. "You just offered to do the nicest possible thing you could do and I'm crying like some big, stupid _baby_."

"No, you're not," David repeated. "Sometimes, when we don't know how to react, our bodies make us cry instead."

Max wiped at a few stray tears. "Ugh," he huffed out. They sat in silence for a little longer. "I just – you're just – it's stupid. It's so stupid. I know my parents weren't good people. I _know _why they didn't come get me but – my brain still tells me it's my fault." He grunted and rubbed harder at his eyes. "So, all I can think is – how can you want me in your life forever when my parents couldn't even handle me for ten years?" And although Max had only wanted to tell David what his thought process was, it ended up being phrased like a question and he stared up at David, finding that he needed, wanted, some sort of answer.

Apparently, David hadn't prepared an answer for that, because initially, all he could do was blink at Max. Then he exhaled slowly and leaned forward slightly, his hands resting on top of his knees, clutched together tightly.

"You're the smartest kid I've ever met," David finally said, turning his head so he could look Max in the eyes. "And the wittiest. Every day when you come home from school, I wonder what stories you'll have to tell me. I love it when you do well, and I love that you love doing well too. I love the way you stick up for what you think is right, no matter what anybody else has to say. I love how you care so much even though you don't always like admit it," he continued, and his voice hit a teasing note as he elbowed Max lightly in the side. "I love the fact you're Max and that you've let me be your family for the last four years. But I want to be your family forever, Max, and I think adoption is the best way of ensuring that. If you want the same, that is."

Max stared at him, paying little attention to the tears that had, at some point during David's speech, started rolling down his cheeks again. Then he sniffed and scrubbed at his cheeks some more.

"Well, you didn't have to go and be such a fucking sap about it," he got out, around the newly formed lump in his throat.

Instead of scolding him, David beamed at him. "You asked," he reminded him.

Max sighed and dropped his gaze to the stair below him. They sat in companionable silence for a while longer, Max focusing on stopping the tears rolling down his cheeks while David waited patiently. Finally, he sucked up a deep breath, looked up at David, and spoke again, saying, "I think I'd like that."

Almost instantly, David's eyes filled with tears of (presumably) joy, his hands jumping up to his chest. "_Really_?" he asked.

Snorting, Max gave him a shove. What an idiot. "Really," he confirmed. "Let's do it. Family for life." He offered a fist bump.

The awkward angle of the stairs made it difficult, but David completely ignored the fist and instead threw his arms around Max, hugging him tightly.

Max huffed out a laugh and patted his back.

Yeah, he'd enjoy having this dork as his dad for the rest of his life.


End file.
